Edit: followed by 10.5b2 to fix Tasker support

I am a bit frightened by what this update will trigger, but here we go…

Once again, this version is geared toward scripting, but I think that with the final v10.5, this area will reach a stable status and will evolve a lot less in the future, giving me more time for other stuff. What I wanted to achieve is now almost ready. In this version three new features will work in conjunction to bring scripting to, I hope, a whole new level.

What are those new features then ?

First, scripts can be loaded from APKs. This mean it will be a LOT more easier to share scripts, at least from the user side. Install some APK, hit “Load a script”, select your entry and you’re done. A bit like a templates. These scripts will be able to configure your setup, create items, set event handlers, load images from a package and so on, as seen on the Sketch video shared in a previous post.

Secondly, scripts will benefit from a better Tasker integration, meaning that it will become possible (or easier) to push various data into the home screen, or trigger some specific actions.

And at last, but not last (and this is where I am a bit frightened), using the Android framework is finally possible. That’s certainly not a basic feature but most advanced users (let’s say developer.s..) will certainly leverage this tool to do… almost everything else! For instance accessing accelerometers, files, playing audio, or whatever. (provided that permissions are granted)

Taken together, these features allow the launcher to be extended with plugins, and create fully functional, possibly animated and interactive widgets.

All this stuff will inevitably raise issues, questions and ideas, but my feeling is that this is something to be tried. I released two sample APKs on the Play Store whose goal is to proof the concept (https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=net.pierrox.lightning_launcher.llscript.sketch and https://play.google.com/store)/apps/details?id=net.pierrox.lightning_launcher.llscript.clock).

More info here

http://www.pierrox.net/cmsms/applications/lightning-launcher/scripting.html

http://www.pierrox.net/android/applications/lightning_launcher/wiki/doku.php?id=how_to_use_the_android_framework_through_script

Now let’s see how it goes!